Intershaft drive



Jan. 21, 1958 w. A. INGALLS INTERSHAFT DRIVE v INVENT0R. ,WILLIS A.INBALLB ill:

ATTDR'NEY Unite INTERSHAFT DRIVE Application August 30, 1955, Serial No.531,472

13 Claims. (Cl. 74-63) This invention relates to a mechanical drive forinterconnecting for concomitant rotation a shaft and a sleeve shaftmounted internally and externally respectively of a stationary hollowsupporting column.

In knitting machines for example, wherein a central hollow column orpedestal is employed for supporting the mechanism and a drive isrequired extending through the column as well as externally of thecolumn, it has been the practice to employ spur gears in order to drivethe inner shaft synchronously with the outer sleeve shaft. The presentinvention is directed toward providing a mechanism for completelyeliminating such gearing and for providing a positive synchronous drivebetween the inner and outer shafts.

An object of the invention is to provide a drive between a central shaftlocated within a hollow column or pedestal and an external sleeve shaftaround the column by employing projectable and retractable drive membersor keys adapted to extend through an aperture in the pedestal or column,and which are cam shifted to effect a driving connection with the partswhile projecting through the aperture.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear morefully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. it is expressly understoodthat the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and arenot designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, referencebeing had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like partsFigure l is a longitudinal vertical section through the drive;

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken substantially on line 22 ofFigure l; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a drive key.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a frame composed of framemembers in the form of a stationary pedestal comprising a base 12 and anupstanding sleeve or column 14, the latter having an integral flange 16rigidly secured to the base in any suitable manner, such as by screws1%. The base 12 and the flange 16 provides an enlarged diameter housingbeneath the flange in which is located the driving mechanism.

Extending upwardly through the stationary hollow column 14 is a driveshaft 20, which may be journalled in the column, and surrounding thecolumn is a sleeve driven shaft 22, the lower end of which rests on athrust bearing ring 24. The sleeve shaft 22 at its lower end, isthreaded as at 26 into a drive plate 28, the drive plate being keyed tothe hollow shaft 22 as desired. The shaft 22 has a shoulder 30 which isadapted to abut the plate 28 when the parts are securely screwedtogether. The plate 28 has a dependent outer annular skirt 32 in whichthere are provided a plurality of radial slots 34. It will be seen thatthe skirt overhangs the upper portion 40 of the pedestal base 12.

Within the base 12 and keyed to the shaft 20 is a drive Z,8Z,369Patented Jan. 21, 1958 ice 2 disc 36, the upper face of which isprovided with a plurality of radial slots 38 uniformly angularly spaced,the number of slots 38 corresponding to the number of slots 34 in theskirt 32. The upstanding portion 40 of the base 12 is cut away toprovide an aperture as is indicated at 42 for an arc of approximately ormore on one side. Within the radial slots 38 of the member 36 areslidably disposed a plurality of sliding keys 44.

Each of the keys is provided with a rectangular notch 46 for engagementwith a cam whereby the keys may be projected radially or retracted asthe shaft 20 and plate 36 rotate. On the under face of the flange 16 ofthe column 14 are secured earns 48 and 50. The cam 48 is adapted toextend into the notches 46 of the sliding keys while the cam 50 isadapted to engage the inner shoulder 52 of each of the keys.

As shown in Figure 2 it will be seen that certain of the keys such as44' are in radially projected position whereby the keys enter the slots34 of the skirt 32, such keys projecting through the opening 42 providedin the upper portion 40 of the pedestal base 12. The keys indicated at44' are thus in driving relation whereas the remainder of the keys arein retracted position or partially retracted position. The inner surface56 of the upper portion 40 of the base acts to retain the retracted keysid in retracted position until such keys are rotated to the region ofthe opening 42 whereupon snchkeys are cammed outwardly by the jointaction of the cam surface 51 of the cam 50 and the cam surface 49 of thecam 48.

The keys are retracted as rotation continues by the inner cam surface 47of the cam 48. The cams 5t and 48 may be of hardened material andsecured to the under surface of the flange 16 by screws such as 66. Thesliding keys will likewise be made of hardened material and be ofsufficient thickness so as to eliminate any possibility of bending underload. The outer edges of the keys may be rounded as at 62 so as tofacilitate their entrance into and out of the slots 34 of the skirt 32.

it will be seen from the above that as the shaft 2%) is rotated in thedirection of arrow A, the keys as are sequentially projected andretracted by the cams 4S and 50 so as to lock the driving plate 36 tothe slotted skirt 32 whereby a positive synchronous drive is effectedbetween the shaft 20 and the hollow shaft 22. The load, as shown, iscarried by three keys and it will be appreciated that by increasing thelength of the opening 4-2 and increasing the arcuate length of the cams4d and 50 that the number of keys active at any one time may beincreased if desired. It will also be appreciated that the number ofkeys employed and their cross-section may be varied to suit the torqueand load which it is desired to transmit.

in referring to the drawings the shaft 20 has been indicated as thedriving shaft whereas the hollow shaft 22 has been indicated as thedriven shaft. It will be appreciated that the hollow shaft 22 could bethe driving shaft and the shaft 20 the driven shaft. It will be seenthat by the construction shown that positive drive between the shaft 20and the hollow shaft 22 is provided for without the use of gearing andthat the angular velocities of the two shafts are positively held to bethe same and that the possibility of back lash is substantially eliminated.

While reference has been made to knitting machines, wherein the drivehas application, it will be understood that the drive may be employedwherever internal and external shafts are arranged within and about astationary hollow column or other hollow support or frame, or where twoshafts cannot be directly coupled due to some barrier such as column 14,and base 12, and it is desired that the shafts rotate positivelytogether.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedthereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will beapparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to theappended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an intershaft drive, in combination, a hollow pedestal base havinga hollow column projecting therefrom, a shaft journalled within thecolumn and projecting into the hollow base, a hollow shaft journalledaround the column, and extending to the base, a disc mounted upon theshaft Within the base, a plate having a depending annular skirt affixedto the hollow shaft with the depending skirt overhanging a portion ofsaid base and extending substantially to the plane of said disc, anarcuate aperture in the wall of said base lying substantially in theplane of said disc and skirt, said disc having a plurality of radialslots disposed in angular relation to one another around the disc, theangular circumferential spacing between slots being less than theangular arcuate length of said aperture, said skirt having slotscorresponding to the slots in said disc, a plurality of keys, eachslidably disposed in each of said disc slots, and cam means carried bythe base and cooperating with said keys to project and retract said keyssequentially from a position within the base to a position projectingthrough said aperture into engagement with the slots in said skirtduring an angular portion of the rotation of said keys less than thearcuate length of the aperture.

2. In an intershaft drive, in combination, a hollow pedestal base havingan upstanding hollow column and flange mounted thereon, a shaftjournalled within the column and projecting into the hollow base, ahollow shaft journalled around the column, and extending to the base, adisc mounted upon the shaft within the base, a plate having a dependingannular skirt affixed to the hollow shaft with the depending skirtoverhanging a portion of said base and extending substantially to theplane of said disc, an arcuate aperture in the wall of said base lyingsubstantially in the plane of said disc and skirt, said disc having aplurality of radial slots in its upper face disposed in angular relationto one another around the disc, the angular circumferential spacingbetween slots being less than the angular arcuate length of saidaperture, said skirt having slots corresponding to the slots in saidcircular plate, a plurality of keys, each slidably disposed in each ofsaid disc slots and having a cam engaging notch in its upper edge, andcam means carried on the under face of the column flange and cooperatingwith the notches in said keys to project and retract said keyssequentially from a position within the base to a position projectingthrough said aperture into engagement with said skirt during an angularportion of the rotation of said keys less than the arcuate length of theaperture.

3. In an intershaft drive, in combination, a hollow pedestal base havingan upstanding hollow column and flange mounted thereon, a shaftjournalled within the column and projecting into the hollow base, ahollow shaft journalled around the column, and extending to the base, adisc mounted upon the shaft within the base, a plate having a dependingannular skirt affixed to the hollow shaft with the depending skirtoverhanging a portion of said base and extending substantially to theplane of said disc, an arcuate aperture in the wall of said base lyingsubstantially in the plane of said disc and skirt, said disc having aplurality of radial slots in its upper face disposed in angular relationto one another around the disc, the angular circumferential spacingbetween slots being less than the angular arcuate length of saidaperture, said skirt having slots corresponding to the slots in saiddisc, a plurality of keys, each slidably disposed in each of said discslots and having a cam engaging notch in its upper edge, and cam meanscarried on the under face of said column flange, and in the angularsector of said aperture and cooperating with the notches of said keys toproject and retract said keys sequentially from a position within thebase to a position projecting through said aperture into engagement withsaid skirt during an angular portion of the rotation of said keys lessthan the arcuate length of the aperture.

4. Rotation transmitting mechanism for providing a drive between twoconcentric shafts, one located within a hollow stationary member, andthe other journalled exterior of and around the hollow member,comprising in combination, a hollow relatively stationary member, ashaft supported for rotation within the member, a hollow shaft supportedfor rotation around the member, an arcuate aperture in the wall of themember, radially slidable keys carried by one of said shafts, and aplurality of radial key slots carried by the other, and means responsiveto rotation of one of the members for sequentially projecting andretracting said keys into and through said aperture into engagement withthe key slots of the other member, while the keys of said one memberrotate through an angle less than and within the angular length of thearcuate aperture.

5. Rotation transmitting mechanism for providing a drive between coaxialshafts, separated by a barrier, comprising a barrier, a shaft supportedfor rotation with respect to the barrier on one side thereof, a secondshaft supported for rotation coaxial in respect to said first shaft onthe other side of said barrier, an aperture in the barrier disposed onan arc coaxial with the shafts, slidable keys carried by, one of saidshafts, and a plurality of key slots carried by the other, and meansresponsive to rotation of one of the members for sequentially projectingand re tracting said keys into and through said aperture into engagementwith the key slots of the other member, while the keys of said onemember rotate through an angle less than and within the angular lengthof the arcuate aperture.

6. Rotation transmitting mechanism for providing a drive between twoconcentric shafts, one located within a hollow stationary member, andthe other journalled exterior of and around the hollow member,comprising in combination, a hollow relatively stationary member, ashaft supported for rotation within the member, a hollow shaft supportedfor rotation around the member, an arcuate aperture in the wall of themember, radially slidable keys carried by one of said shafts, and aplurality of radial key slots carried by the other, and cam meanscoacting with the hollow stationary member and said keys and responsiveto rotation of one of the members for sequentially projecting andretracting said keys into and through said aperture into engagement withthe key slots of the other member, while the keys of said one memberrotate through an angle less than and within the angular length of thearcuate aperture.

7. Rotation transmitting mechanism for providing a drive between coaxialshafts, separated by a barrier, comprising a barrier, a shaft supportedfor rotation with respect to the barrier on one side thereof, a secondshaft supported for rotation coaxial in respect to said first shaft onthe other side thereof, an aperture in the barrier eccentrio of theshaft axis, slidable means carried by one of said shafts, and aplurality of means complemental to said slidable means carried by theother, and means responsive to rotation of one of the members forsequentially projecting and retracting said slidable means into andthrough said aperture into engagement with the complemental means of theother member, while the slidable means of said one member rotate throughan arc less than and within the arcuate length of the aperture.

8. An intershaft drive for two shafts separated by a frame member,comprising a frame, coaxial driving and driven shafts journalled inrespect to said frame, a plurality of complemental means radiallydisposed from the axis of said shafts and mounted for rotation with saidshafts, and disposed angularly with respect to one another about theaxis of said shafts, each of said complemental means comprising twomembers adapted for intermittent engagement and disengagementtherebetween for driving one shaft from the other at the same angularvelocity, and means responsive to the rotation of one of said shafts foreffecting engagement and disengagement of the members of each of saidcomplemental means in sequence and at least once for each rotation ofone of said shafts.

9. Rotation transmitting mechanism for providing a constant angularvelocity drive between coaxial shafts separated by a barrier, comprisinga barrier, coaxial driving and driven shafts journalled for rotationwith respect to said barrier, on opposite sides thereof, a plurality ofslidable means, carried by one of said shafts, and means complemental tosaid slidable means carried by the other, and adapted to beinter-engaged by sliding of the slidable means in an arcuate regionradially disposed from the shaft axes, means responsive to rotation ofone of said members for sequentially projecting and retracting each ofsaid slidable means into and out of engagement with said complementalmeans of said other member during passage through a fixed arc of eachcomplete rotation, and said barrier being in part disposed between saidslidable means and complemental means at a region displaced from saidare.

10. In a mechanism of the class set forth, a pair of coaxial shafts, onedriving and the other driven, a driving member mounted on the drivingshaft adjacent a driven member on the other, a plurality of slidablemeans radially disposed from the shaft axis and angularly disposed inrespect to each other on one of said members, and complemental meansadapted to be engaged by said slidable means on the other member, andmeans responsive to rotation of one of said shafts for sequentiallyprojecting said slidable means into and out of active engagement withsaid complemental means during a fixed angular por tion of each completerotation of said shafts, and support means having journals for each ofsaid shafts and having a portion thereof disposed between said membersangularly disposed from the active engagement region of said slidablemeans.

11. In a mechanism of the class set forth, a pair of coaxial shafts, onedriving and the other driven, a driving member mounted on the drivingshaft adjacent a driven member on the other, a plurality of slidablemeans radially disposed from the shaft axis and angularly disposed inrespect to each other on one of said members, and complemental meansadapted to be engaged by said slidable means on the other member, andmeans responsive to rotation of one of said shafts for sequentiallyprojecting said slidable means into active engagement with saidcomplemental means during a portion of each rotation, and effectingretraction of said slidable means from such engagement during aremainder portion of said rotation, and support means journalling bothshafts.

12. In a mechanism of the class set forth, a pair of coaxial shafts, onedriving and the other driven, a driving member mounted on the drivingshaft adjacent a driven member on the other, a plurality of slidablemeans radially disposed from the shaft axis and angularly disposed inrespect 0t each other on one of said members, and complemental meansadapted to be engaged by said slidable means on the other member, andmeans responsive to rotation of one of said shafts for sequentiallyprojecting said slidable means into active engagement with saidcomplemental means during a portion of each rotation, and effectingretraction of said slidable means from such engagement during aremainder portion of said rotation, and support means journalling bothshafts and having a portion thereof disposed between said members in theretraction region of said slidable means.

13. In a mechanism of the class described, a driving member and a drivenmember disposed adjacent one another and mounted for rotation on acommon axis, a plurality of projectible and retractable means carried byone of said members disposed angularly with respect to each other andeccentric of the axis, and complementary means carried by the other ofsaid members adapted to receive said members when projected, for drivingone member from the other at constant angular velocity, and meansresponsive to rotation of one of said members for sequentiallyprojecting and retracting said projectible means into and out ofengagement with said complemental means during a fixed arc of eachrotation of the members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS443,126 Van Wordragen Dec. 23, 1890 FOREIGN PATENTS 341,053 Germany Aug.27, 1920 523,568 France Aug. 2, 1921

